Keep Her Safe
by thepudz
Summary: What if that rusted train didn't start? What if Nick and Judy WERE trapped in there? Nick knows he only needs to do one thing... Keep Judy safe and alive. No matter the cost. One-Shot.


"What are you _doing?_ You just trapped us in here!"

Nick couldn't _believe_ this rabbit. She had not only just kicked Doug out of his lab, which was _bad enough_ , but she just locked the door! Nick could bet everything he had that Doug was calling for back-up _right now_.

"We need to get this evidence to the ZPD!" Judy replied, a serious look in her eyes. Evidence? Nick closed the briefcase containing the dart gun and a dart of the Night Howler serum, before grabbing the handle and showing it off to Judy as if it were the most obvious thing ever.

"Here it is, got it," Nick said. Judy shook her head, running past Nick to the control car.

"No. _All of it,_ " Judy said.

"What?!" Nick replied, panicked. This rabbit wasn't really doing what he was thinking, was she? He reluctantly grabbed the briefcase anyway, following Judy to the control car. Judy hopped onto the driver's seat, and flicked the first switch she saw. It didn't do much; instead, it completely disabled the train.

"Oh, great, you're a conductor now, hey, listen, it would take a _miracle_ to get this rust bucket going," Nick sarcastically commented as Judy punched the controls, but to no avail.

"Not now, Nick. We need to get this thing going before Doug gets back-up," Judy snapped as she got off the seat to find _some sort of switch_ to somehow activate the train. Nick looked behind him, and saw the three sheep outside the back of the train. One was on its phone, and Nick could barely hear him, but he panicked when he figured out what he was saying.

"We got a situation at the lab… Yeah, bring as many as you can… And the weapons." The sheep put the phone down.

' _Oh, crap,'_ Nick looked at Judy, who still tried everything in her power to turn this _goddamn_ train on.

"Well, are you going to help me out or _not?!_ " Judy screamed. Nick woke up, and immediately went looking around the train for some sort of switch. Something. _Anything_.

Nick heard banging on the back door, and he quickly realized that one of the sheep was trying to charge in. He panicked even more, going as fast as the rabbit around the train to look for something. He punched the volts dial, but _that_ didn't even work. Nothing was.

' _We're dead.'_

"Carrots, listen to what I said! This rust bucket isn't starting any time this year! Face it. We're _cornered, screwed, DEAD_!" Nick screamed. Judy shot a glare at the fox, determination in her eyes.

"Are you giving up this easily?! Do you want to get out of here alive?!" Judy snapped, before going back to under the console, looking around the wires.

"I don't know anymore! If I get out there, the entire city will hate me because I'm a predator! So I don't-"

"Do you want _me_ to get out of here alive?" Judy cut Nick off. His eyes widened, and he felt his throat tighten. He didn't give a damn if he died right here, but Judy… She needed to be safe.

"Yes… I do," Nick softly replied.

"Then get this damn train going!" Judy screamed. Nick nodded, it was fast, panicked, but it was a nod of agreement.

He needed to make sure Judy got out _safe._

Nick quickly went back to looking, and as if the gods had chosen this moment to be kind, he found a red toolbox to the left of the console. He grabbed it with both paws, lifting it. It was heavy, and Nick had to use all his strength to lift it, but he eventually did. He turned to his right to face Judy, lifting the box to show it off.

"Found… Ngh, something!" Nick grunted. Judy looked up from the console, and beamed a massive grin. The kind Nick loved.

"Great. Bring it he-"

Judy was cut off by a loud bang and the sound of windows shattering. Judy launched into the console, gasping suddenly. Nick's eyes widened when Judy hit the console. She slowly leant off it, and she looked down.

That's when Judy saw blood staining the stomach area of her pink shirt.

Judy used all her strength to raise her head up and look Nick in the eye, before muttering one word.

" _Nick…_ "

That's when Judy fell to the ground. Nick dropped the toolbox, sprinting over to Judy. He heard another bang when he passed by the door, and that's when Nick realized.

The back-up came.

One of them had a gun. A _real gun._ Something that hasn't been seen in Zootopia in _years._ That's when Nick also realized something else.

Judy had been shot in the stomach.

Nick placed both paws under Judy's arms, dragging her out of the line of fire, towards the wall next to the door that separated the lab and control car. She lay on her back, and when both animals were out of the line of fire, Nick kneeled down, resting Judy's head on his lap.

"Oh, God… Carrots, look at me," Nick said, obvious terror in his voice. He saw the rabbit slowly move her eyes to meet his. Nick lifted Judy's pink shirt, and saw the bullet hole in her fur, blood coming out, not seeming to stop.

Nick needed to do something, _fast._ He lifted down Judy's pink shirt, before quickly unbuttoning his own green shirt, and placing it on the bullet wound in attempts to stop the bleeding. He wrapped his shirt around her stomach, before placing a paw on her cheek, looking at her.

"Judy, talk to me… C'mon, Carrots, call me a dumb fox. _Please…_ " Nick begged. Judy's breathing was forced, and she opened her mouth to say something, but instead she coughed, spitting out some blood. Nick leaned out of his cover, and saw one of the sheep charging into the almost broken door. It was nearly down. Nick didn't have much time. One of the other sheep fired the gun, just missing the fox. Nick quickly went behind the wall again, before turning his attention to Judy.

"Carrots… Please, just hang in there! I'm gonna get you out of here!" Nick choked in his voice. He felt tears coming, but he held them back. Judy slowly lifted a bloody hand, and placed it on his chest fur. She had tears in her eyes, and she was choking out sobs.

"It… It hurts… It hurts so much…"

"I know, Carrots…" Nick replied. He heard the sound of smashing, and he knew that sheep finally rammed the door open. Nick quickly stepped up, carefully dropping Judy's head to the ground, before he grabbed the door separating the lab and control cab, slamming it shut. The sheep hit the second door, but he reared back and charged again. Once he got that second door down, it was all over for Nick and Judy…

Nick saw that blood was seeping through the green shirt of Judy's stomach. Nick racked his brains, trying to think of something to do.

That's when he started eyeing the briefcase with the Night Howler serum.

He _knew_ what he had to do.

He reached over, and grabbed the briefcase, unclipping it. Nick eyed the round ball of liquid, breathing heavily. He lifted Judy over next to the console, and prayed that she didn't die. Nick took the Night Howler into his hands, panting as he raised it to his neck.

He closed his eyes, counted to three, before smashing the serum into his neck.

He immediately felt the changes come into effect. He fell onto all fours, heaving, before his entire mood changed from panic about Judy to _anger._

 _ **Rage.**_

The sheep busted through the door, and looked at the transforming fox. He soon realized that the fox was a savage as he looked up, his eyes red and his teeth bearing. He pounced at the sheep, launching it into the lab equipment. Nick pounced at the struggling sheep, and he sunk his teeth into the sheep's leg. The sheep screamed in pain, before quickly passing out from shock.

Nick looked up at the gang of sheep, who had all started running away from him. He sprinted on all fours, chasing every single one down.

Then one of them turned around, and aimed the pistol at the savage fox, pulling the trigger.

Nick felt a sharp pain burst into his stomach, and he dropped, whimpering. He knew he had just been shot as well.

"Ha… Haha! Who's the tough animal now?!" The sheep with the gun laughed. Nick tried to get up, but to no avail.

"Freeze! ZPD!"

Nick could barely hear the sounds of cop cars rushing into the subway. They would've heard the gunshots, and would've gone as fast as possible. The sound of the sirens was all Nick could hear, as well as voices.

"Oh my God… It's a savage!"

"Kill it! Kill it, before it kills _us!_ "

Nick could barely move his head to look at one of the officers, who grabbed a police baton, extending it, and raising it in the air, ready to strike at Nick's head.

" _ **STOP!**_ "

That was Judy's voice. The officer with the baton froze, and looked at the tram. He saw the wounded rabbit, who had started dragging herself out of the control car, leaving a trail of blood behind her. She coughed, her throat burning from the scream of desperation.

"Oh, no… Officer down! Officer down!" The officer with the baton put away his weapon, before rushing over to the wounded rabbit, who had finally passed out from blood loss. "Get the fox, too! He's wounded, he can't hurt you!" Another officer called out.

Nick felt multiple people lift him up, and he didn't have the strength to attack. He was placed on a large stretcher, and was being escorted to an ambulance. Nick could manage to see another hospital stretcher with Judy inside of it, being carried to a different van.

Then, he was gone.

* * *

"Mr. Wilde?"

Nick opened his eyes slowly to meet those of a doctor, looking over him. "Thank God… You're finally awake."

Nick tried to sit up, but felt a bolt of pain strike his stomach, forcing him to lie back down. "Don't move. You've been out for thirty hours. We got the bullet out of you…"

Nick realized something then. He didn't feel savage. He felt… Normal. Did they find a cure? Was Judy's determination worth it? He looked around the hospital room, taking everything in. The whiteness… The fact he could breathe…

Then something hit him.

"Where's Judy?"

The doctor put on a slight smile, "She's gone through surgery as well, and is doing very well. She'll be fine, Mr. Wilde."

Nick rested his head back into his pillow, sighing with relief. "Oh, thank _God…_ Can… Can I see her?"

"Not yet. You need rest, Mr. Wilde," The doctor informed him. Nick shook his head, mumbling.

"Please, I need to-"

"What you need is _rest._ You'll see her soon enough," The doctor sternly said, before exiting the hospital room. Nick looked out the window to his left, and saw the city. It looked as normal as ever, like nothing had even happened. He did see a tiger, however, which indicated that predators weren't feared anymore.

Nick smiled, facing the roof. Judy had done her job right. He couldn't be more proud of her.

* * *

"Mr. Wilde? You have a visitor."

Nick awoke from his slumber to look at the doctor who had the door slightly open. "Sure, bring 'em in."

Nick's eyes widened as the doctor fully opened the door and Judy stepped in. She had a bunch of bandages around her stomach, and she was wearing a hospital gown, but she still looked as cute as ever.

"Carrots…"

Judy slowly walked over to the step next to Nick's bed, raising herself to his level. Nick leaned forward, and wrapped his arms around the rabbit, holding her tightly. She returned the hug, smiling with tears in her eyes.

"Don't you ever scare me like that, Carrots… I thought I was gonna lose you…" Nick sighed.

"Nick… You _saved_ me." Judy smiled. Nick raised an eyebrow, narrowing his eyes.

"Huh?"

"The doctors said that if that green shirt hadn't of been wrapped around me… I would've bled out," Judy sobbed. Nick's eyes widened, the shock getting to him.

He had kept his one promise.

To keep Judy safe.

"They found a cure for the Night Howler's… They used it on you first. I'm so glad you're back… I'm sorry for almost getting you killed, Nick," Judy sobbed. Nick put a paw on the back of Judy's head, burying her face into his chest fur.

"Hey, hey… Don't go blaming yourself," Nick soothingly said, smiling.

"I… I love you, Nick… I can't lose you…" Judy sobbed. The words hit Nick harder than any bullet. _I love you._ He felt his heart skip a beat, and a wave of joy rush through him.

"You won't lose me… It's over now. They got the bad guys, they can't hurt us," Nick smiled. Judy slightly chuckled, still with tears in her eyes. Nick slightly pushed her away, placing both paws on her shoulders, before saying one last thing.

"And also… I love you, too, Carrots."


End file.
